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2nd chunk of `content/manuals/compose/how-tos/environment-variables/envvars.md`
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- Default behavior: If not provided, Compose looks for a file named `compose.yaml` in the current directory and, if not found, then Compose searches each parent directory recursively until a file by that name is found.
- When specifying multiple Compose files, the path separators are, by default, on:
   - Mac and Linux: `:` (colon)
   - Windows: `;` (semicolon)
   For example:

      ```console
      COMPOSE_FILE=compose.yaml:compose.prod.yaml
      ```  
   The path separator can also be customized using [`COMPOSE_PATH_SEPARATOR`](#compose_path_separator).  

See also the [command-line options overview](/reference/cli/docker/compose/_index.md#command-options-overview-and-help) and [using `-f` to specify name and path of one or more Compose files](/reference/cli/docker/compose/_index.md#use--f-to-specify-the-name-and-path-of-one-or-more-compose-files).

### COMPOSE\_PROFILES

Specifies one or more profiles to be enabled when `docker compose up` is run.

Services with matching profiles are started as well as any services for which no profile has been defined.

For example, calling `docker compose up` with `COMPOSE_PROFILES=frontend` selects services with the 
`frontend` profile as well as any services without a profile specified.

If specifying multiple profiles, use a comma as a separator.

The following example enables all services matching both the `frontend` and `debug` profiles and services without a profile. 

```console
COMPOSE_PROFILES=frontend,debug
```

See also [Using profiles with Compose](../profiles.md) and the [`--profile` command-line option](/reference/cli/docker/compose/_index.md#use-profiles-to-enable-optional-services).

### COMPOSE\_CONVERT\_WINDOWS\_PATHS

When enabled, Compose performs path conversion from Windows-style to Unix-style in volume definitions.

- Supported values: 
    - `true` or `1`, to enable
    - `false` or `0`, to disable
- Defaults to: `0`

### COMPOSE\_PATH\_SEPARATOR

Specifies a different path separator for items listed in `COMPOSE_FILE`.

- Defaults to:
    - On macOS and Linux to `:`
    - On Windows to`;`

### COMPOSE\_IGNORE\_ORPHANS

When enabled, Compose doesn't try to detect orphaned containers for the project.

- Supported values: 
   - `true` or `1`, to enable
   - `false` or `0`, to disable
- Defaults to: `0`

### COMPOSE\_REMOVE\_ORPHANS

When enabled, Compose automatically removes orphaned containers when updating a service or stack. Orphaned containers are those that were created by a previous configuration but are no longer defined in the current `compose.yaml` file.

- Supported values:
   - `true` or `1`, to enable automatic removal of orphaned containers
   - `false` or `0`, to disable automatic removal. Compose displays a warning about orphaned containers instead.
- Defaults to: `0`

### COMPOSE\_PARALLEL\_LIMIT

Specifies the maximum level of parallelism for concurrent engine calls.
Title: Docker Compose: Configuring Environment Variables (Continued)
Summary
This section details the configuration of several Docker Compose environment variables. It covers `COMPOSE_PROFILES` for enabling specific service profiles, `COMPOSE_CONVERT_WINDOWS_PATHS` for path conversion, `COMPOSE_PATH_SEPARATOR` for customizing path separators in `COMPOSE_FILE`, `COMPOSE_IGNORE_ORPHANS` and `COMPOSE_REMOVE_ORPHANS` for handling orphaned containers, and `COMPOSE_PARALLEL_LIMIT` for controlling parallelism.